It has been common for many years to use a neck chain or neck cord fastened at its opposite ends to the temple members of a pair of eyeglasses in order that the eyeglasses could be suspended or hung about the wearer's neck when the eyeglasses were not in use. This simple device enabled those who wore glasses on a part-time basis to maintain their glasses readily available, and without actually storing them in an eyeglasses case within a pocket, purse or briefcase. This device also enabled wearers of sunglasses to simply remove them when the wearer stepped inside from out of doors without the need for permanently storing them, such that when the user returned to the outdoors the user might merely grasp the sunglasses hanging on the user's chest and place them back on.
However, this well known scheme of maintaining a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses readily at hand by suspending same about the neck on a chain or cord has several drawbacks. For example, when the ends of the neck chain or cord are attached near the rearward ends of the temple pieces of the eyeglass frames, as is most commonly done, the eyeglass frames assume a rather bulky non-compact configuration when hanging against a user's chest. Specifically, the eyeglasses remain completely unfolded, as they would normally appear while being worn. This creates an unwanted bulge in the profile of a person, substantially equal to the height of the front frame portion of the eyeglass frames. Therefore, the eyeglass frames cannot readily be stored underneath a coat, sweater or vest, and if so concealed therein the result is a rather visible and unsightly garment bulge.
Also, oftentimes a user may lean up against a desk or the like and inadvertently damage or crush the eyeglass lenses or the frames themselves against the edge of a desk, the wearer not being accustomed to the two or so inches of additional profile against the chest.
Further, hugging of friends and loved ones and the like similarly can result in damaged frames and/or lenses and discomfort to both parties.
Another disadvantage of traditional glasses being suspended about a wearer's neck is that the upturned frames with horizontally disposed lenses therein tend to accumulate crumbs and the like while the wearer is dining. This is especially objectionable should fluids, such as gravy, coffee, etc., be spilled on the lenses.